Here are some American energy facts, courtesy of the U.S. Department of the Interior and thed U.S. Department of Energy:

1. American natural gas production grew by an estimated 7.4 percent in 2011. That's the larges-ever year-over-year volumetric increase. It easily eclipsed the previous production record set in 1973. Last year was the No. 2 year ever for natural gas production on public lands in the last 10 years.

2. In 2011, the federal Bureau of Land Management held 32 oil and gas leases covering nearly 4.4 million acres, mostly in the West. Those leases generated $256 million in revenue for American taxpayers. That's nearly a 20 percent increase in lease revenues from 2010.

In 2012, BLM is scheduled to hold an additional 32 lease sales.

3. Since 2008, U.S. oil and natural gas production has increased, while imports of foreign oil have decreased.